Cream of the Crop UFA's

Chuck Kobasew- the guy is 29 but it feels just like yesterday he was lighting it up for the Penticton Panthers in the BCHL; and do i ever mean lighting it up cause the guy had over 100 points in 58 games and was playing at nearly a goal-a-game pace. Nowadays the guy can't buy a goal. He was making 2.3 million last year with Minnesota. Expect him to take a serious pay-cut to play somewhere else this season. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up playing in the AHL this season.

Scottie Upshall- back in the day my boy Scotty here got traded for a cat named Peter Forsberg. Upshall never really lived up to the hype until the past two seasons where he averaged 20 goals per season. Scottie is still a young player with a lot of juice left in the bottle. Somebody should take a run at this guy. He's from Fort McMurray, Alberta so it is possible that the Flames would sign him. they have the cap space to lock a player like this up that would be looking for around the 2-3 million dollar mark.

Brooks Laich- The Saskatchewan native had 16 goals this past season but 25 the year before. Washington doesn't want him back. Rumours have him coming to the Vancouver Canucks, however I'm not sure he'd be willing to take the paycut that is required to play in Vancouver. Given that Gillis signed Samuellsson to 3 years at 2.5 per, Laich would probably recieve a contract of 3 years at 3 million per by Gillis and company. Wherever Laich ends up he is one tough cookie! On his personal website there's a picture Brooksie doing bicep curls with a bar that I would not even be able to deadlift. Apparently Laich is working out 6 days a week for 5 hours a day. The guys a beast and whoever locks him up will be happy to be stuck with him.

Joel Ward- After scoring ten goals and 30 points for the Nashville Predators this season and securing a spot on the teams third line, many players would be satisfied. Joel Ward wasnt! In the playoffs Ward went out and scored seven goals and 13 points in 12 games of the playoffs. He did this as the third line of the Predators whose roll is to shutdown the best lines in the league. Not only was he able to shutdown the Sedin's but he was capable of making them minus players. Ward is making 1.5 million a season. Expect him to take a pay raise as he is capable of making any third line in the league much better. He'll probably end up staying in Nashville, as david Poille would be crazy to let him walk after his spectacular playoofs.

Max Talbot- this guy scored the game winner of game 7 of the stanley cup finals in 09. Nuff said! Somebody sign this guy. Maybe Detroit would take a run at this guy to play on their fourth line.

Matt D'agostini and Tyler Kennedy- These boys have done everything together. Both grew up in the small town of Sault Saint Marie, Ontario and both were drafted in the 2006 draft. These boys love chilling it up old school in the summer when tyler Kennedy isn't too busy winning Stanley Cups. And I have a feeling that D'agostini and Tyler Kennedy will sign as a pair this off season so they can play together. Don't be surprised if they take their talents to South Beach and play for the Panthers, because that's what all old-school homeboys do. Either way, expect the tandem to recieve 5 year 30 million dollar deal. These players might fit into NY nicely with the opportunity to play with Calahan and Dubinsky. But everyone knows Glen Sather only signs overpriced washed up bums and not young, affordable and valuable assets with potential.

-Hark

Chuck (the God) Kobasew

the bruins hurricanes series is shaping up to be really good. i think it goes to show how playoff experience is helpful. both anaheim and carolina are doing well in the playoffs this year even though they were both part of the lower half of the standings in their division. it speaks to the leadership and playoff experience on their team.

Speaking of playoff experience, there are few players with more playoff experience on the bruins than chuck kobasew and Mark Recchi. recchi from his 23 years of NHL experience, and Kobasew from his big cup run with the flames back in 2004. In last nights game, chuck kobasews heart and Mark Rechis knee teamed up for a goal:



what a snipe by kobasew to find Mark Recchi's knee in the middle of traffick. Finally finding a use for Mark Recchi on the ice. Poor Recchi, it was only his first goal of the playoffs. He only played 18 games with the bruins this year and amazingly ammased 10 goals. he was really hoping to continue his good play in the playoffs. but he hasn't done anything yet. his team is still playing good, but they are going to need a lot of players to step up now if they are going to comeback against carolina. the bruins need to win the next game in order to have home ice advantage back.

-hark

How the West is Being Won

This is finally the week where we can start saying that certain teams in the west are going to miss the playoffs. You couldn't have done it last week because the race between all 15 teams was too close.

Colorado, LA and Phoenix are now out of the playoff race and into the Tavares/Hedman race. The three teams have combined to lose their last 10 games. LA is the closest being only 6 points out of a playoff berth.

The Dallas stars could soon be added to this list. i think it was pretty obvious at the beginning of the year that dallas was not ready to play this season. they were a cinderella story last season making it to the semi finals. but there is something about their team that is just not clicking. right now they have lost 5 straight games (all regulation losses) and they looked terrible last night against pittsburgh. they let the crosbyless pens go up 4 goals on them in dallas. all dallas fans that paid for tickets should be very dissapointed in their team. currently dallas is only 2 points out of a playoff spot, but with morrow injured their season is not looking good.

St Louis is only three points out and they have won their past 3 games. they have been looking very hot lately. With Johnson out at the start of the season i thought it would be over for the Blues. Now its looking like if they make the playoffs we might afterall get to see Erik (first overall in 2006) play a game this season.

As far as the flames go they have the division on lockdown. Even if canucks win 15 of 20, flames will only need to win 11 of the next 20 to hold onto the division. The Flames have a lot of breathing room thanks to their play after christmas while the canucks were struggling.

San jose, Boston, Detroit should prove to be a good presidents trophy competition. My money is on boston but only if they keep kobasew and don't trade him at the deadline; otherwise i'll go with detroit. PS) i really think that kobasew is going to be traded at the deadline this year. Boston does not want to give up a roster player. Well Kobasew missed a significant amount of games this season due to injury: He's barely roster. canucks can trade ohlund, 2 first round draft picks and a conditional third round to boston for the rights to chuck kobasew.

-hark

Canucks Game

Today the canucks will be playing the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have been Kobasew-less since game 1. My buddies over at the 2 Man Advantage, were commenting that its a pretty dismal season for boston, when chuck kobasew gets injured and your playoff hopes look dim. I think my buddy Hal would beg the differ. I think my buddy Hal would have 34 reasons why Chuck Kobasew can make your team better (Kobasew had 34 goals with his 4 seasons with the flames).

Boston is in third place in their division with 11 points, while the canucks are last place in their division with 8 points.

Flames will be playing Colorado. Arguably the 2 best Canadian leaders are squaring off in this match (Joe Sakic vs. Jarmoe Iginla). I have been really surprised that the Avalanche have not been a significantly better team since the acquisition of Ryan smyth. Smitty was so clutch for the oilers, but it must be harder having an impact with Burnaby Joe around.

Canucks game is on at 7 on tsn while the flames game is on sportsnet west. who are edmontonians going to be cheering for in the flames/avs game Hal? are they still in love with smitty over there?

I'm outty 5000 take it sleazy,

hark